Better Call Saul "Alpine Shepherd Boy" Review: Introducing the Other Guys

Better Call Saul S01E05: "Alpine Shepherd Boy"

By now, we've got a pretty good handle on Jimmy McGill: He's fast-talking, he has more ups and downs than a break-even poker player, and he's a slippery little fella. And with that introduction out of the way, "Alpine Shepherd Boy" was able to focus less on Better Call Saul's (eventual) title character and more on fleshing out the rest of the show's cast while also expanding its world. All told, the hour really helped to solidify the series as a companion to Breaking Bad, as opposed to a second coming of it.

So yeah, we're fairly familiar with Jimmy at this point, but his space-blanket-wearing brother Chuck (Michael McKean) has remained Better Call Saul's oddest and most mysterious element, and not just because the man shrieks at the sight of cell phones. Since the show debuted, we haven't really known what his deal is or how he fits into the grander scheme of things, "Alpine Shepherd Boy" attempted to help us understand him a teeny-tiny bit better. For one thing, the episode revealed that he suffers from Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity, or as Jimmy likes to say, Chuck is allergic to electricity. Or, as I like to say, he's wackypants looney toons with a side of crazysauce.

More importantly, the hour also explained why Howard is so concerned with Chuck's wellbeing. As long as Chuck is making of his own decisions, he'll (probably) never try to cash out of Howard's law firm—which is well within his rights, since his name is on the front door. And as Jimmy so bluntly explained, if Jimmy ends up as Chuck's guardian, he could pluck Chuck out and pocket the cash. That makes Chuck a key figure to Jimmy's future and the centerpiece of the war between Jimmy and Howard.

But instead of committing his brother to a psych ward and taking the payday, Jimmy merely used Chuck to threaten Howard. It was important for us to see Jimmy behave the way he did; the man is the next evolution of pond scum, but he's not so driven by his pursuit of wealth that he's willing to sell out his brother—even if forcing Chuck to have his head shrunk would probably do Chuck some good. Meanwhile, Chuck serves as the lingering temptation that Better Call Saul needs in order to torture Jimmy's conscience. Breaking Bad was full of lines that we feared Walter White would cross, and Chuck could be Jimmy's point of no return.

"Alpine Shepherd Boy" also took a nice detour when Jimmy visited Mike at the parking booth, and instead of following Jimmy off the lot as it normally does, the camera stayed with Mike. That allowed us to tag along with him on a venture of his own, and what we saw was pretty depressing. Mike spends a lot of time alone—on the graveyard shift of the courthouse parking lot, at the diner while eating his morning dinner, at home, and so on. Plus, there was that disturbing shot of Mike creeping outside a woman's house and watching her leave. Who do you think that was? His daughter?

Based on what we know about Mike, I'd guess the lady was his daughter, a.k.a. the mother of the granddaughter he loved so much on Breaking Bad. But for now, Better Call Saul is only interested in revealing the broadest of details—she's someone Mike is checking in on—without getting into specifics. All we can surmise is that she isn't a big fan of the old man who's parking across the street from her house, and that she may've called the cops on him. (Also: Was that detective who showed up at Mike's door an acquaintance from when Mike was a policeman?) Well, it's a good thing Mike has Jimmy's new business card in his pocket. He doesn't need a will, but he should still call McGill; it could be the beginning of a beautiful and awkward friendship.

BETTER READ THESE NOTES

– Jimmy reaping the benefits of his scam to drum up publicity was so good, particularly Ricky the wannabe seceder. And for as ridiculous as the various scenarios were ("You're the one with the sex toilet!"), Bob Odenkirk's non-verbal reactions during his meeting with Ricky were the best part, as Jimmy tried to keep his cool. Is Better Call Saul the funniest show on television right now?

– Whoa, another Niblet reference on television in just two days! The first one came during the series premiere of Battle Creek, which Vince Gilligan also created. Someday I'll have to ask him about his obsession with tiny corn.

– Jimmy to Mike: "Gimme a call, if you happen to know any elders." Nice save, Jimmy.